Gun carriage



G. M. BARNES GUN CARRIAGE Aug. 4, 1936.

Filed Aug. 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Gladeun M EIELTTLES EV W1 tturney G. M. BARNES Aug. 4, 1936.

GUN CARRIAGE Filed Aug. 5, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig 7.

SIC. T-7 0N FIE! 0 FIG. 5

. Inventnr Gladecln I LEEYTLEE J G n M 4 9 5 6 4 4 J G. M. BARNES Aug. 4, 1936.

GUN CARRIAGE Filed Aug. 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor 51a damn Mfiwarnes A turnaillustrated wherein Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE GUN CARRIAGE Gladeon M. Barnes, United States Army, Hastings, Mich.

Application August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,755 8Claims. 89 -40) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a gun carriage and is an improvement on the carriage shown in my Patent No. 1,951,338 of March 20, 1934.

In the application there is shown a gun carriage which may be employed with equal facility against both ground and aerial targets. The improvements of this invention are directed to the provision of a novel elevating and depressing mechanism, the gearing of which is carried in the axle unit. The mechanism is arranged tolower the gun mount to the ground-after which operation it may be disconnected from the axle unit. The gun mount may also be easily and quickly coupled to the axle unit and raised to the travelling position.

A further object of the invention isto provide a simple and eifective means for inoperating the spring suspension of the gun carriage. To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is in the accompanying drawings,

1 is a view in sideelevation of the gun carriage showing the pedestal in the raised position.

Fig.2 is a similar view showing the pedestal in the lowered position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pedestal showing the manner of applying outriggers.

' Fig. 4 isa view in front elevation, parts being in sectionof the axle housing and taken generally-:on the line 4+4 of Fig. 5.

Fi 5 is a sectional view 'on the line 5--5 of ..1Fig- 6.

Figs. *6 and '7 are sectional views on the respec 'tive lines of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the axle housing, :parts being broken away.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View on the line 9--9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the pedestal and wheeled :axle unit and Fig. 13 is a view in elevation of the slide.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference:

There is shown a gun carriage consisting generally of a pedestal mount A, supported by a detachable wheeled axle unit B and by split trail 5 members C, and supporting a top carriage D of typical anti-aircraft design in which a gun E is trunnioned'as at F adjacent the breech to provide for high angle firing.

The wheel unit comprises an axle 5 equipped with pneumatic-tired wheels 6. A transverse semi-elliptic leaf spring I shackled to upstanding arms 8 (Fig. 4) at each end of the axle is centrally clipped as at 9 (Fig. 11) to an axle housing I 0. The housing is held against rotational move- 15 ment with respect to the axle by means of conventional rubbing blocks ll fixed to the axle and .having sliding engagement with the front and rear vertical walls of the housing.

Secured to the rear wall of the axle housing [0 (Fig. 5') are spaced, vertically extending guides l.2|2 for mounting channeled side-bars l 3-l3 integral with a slide [4 which is in the form of a wide plate. Each side bar is provided on its 'outer side with a rack l5. As seen in Figs. 8 and 11 the slide M may be locked against movement relative to the axle housing II] by means of a pair of bolts Iii-16 carried by the axle housing and normally urged by springs l1 into apertures l8 1'8 in the slide. One convenient manner of oper- '31) .ating the bolts consists in providing a common rod I9 having levers 20-20 on its opposite ends for engaging the bolts. In the illustration given the levers 20 are each in engagement with a pin 2| on the bolts. I

Rotation of the rod by .means of a handle 22 reciprocates the bolts IB|6 simultaneously and causes them either to enter or be withdrawn from the apertures IS in the slide 14.

As shown in Fig. 7 the slide includes a horizontally disposed rib or shelf 23 adjacent its upper end and adapted to book under the top plate 24 of the pedestal. The slide I4 is also adapted to rest on the bottom plate 25 of the pedestal. The slide is clamped to the pedestal in a manner simi- '45 lar to that disclosed in my copending application,

Serial No. 480,670, filed September 9, 1930, and accordingly this mechanism will be but briefly described.

Each of the side bars 13 (Fig. 12) of the slide I4 carries a latch 26 engageable in a notch 21 formed in spaced webs 2828 on the pedestal.

A cam lever 29 fulcrumed on a pin 30 in front of the notch'serves to lock the latch in place.

In order that the pedestal A may be raised and lowered relative to the wheeled axle unit B a system of gearing is carried by and arranged within a casing 3! on the axle housing ii] and is adapted to actuate the racks l5. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 a'pair of operating crank handles 32 and 33 are mounted in the front wall of the casing 3i and carrying pinions respectively 36 and 35 meshing 'with opposite sides of a gear wheel 36. The gear wheel 36 includes a pinion 350: which on one side fdrives'a train of gearing comprising twin gear wheels 3l38-39, and pinions ill and 4|, the lata ter meshing with the rack l5 on the correspond- As shown ing side of the slide M. On vthe'opposite side *of the gear wheel 36 its pinion 36a drives a train" of gearing including a reversing gear 52 twin. gear wheels l3- ld and 55 and pinions t6 and ll. The

latter meshing, with the rack if) on its side of the axle unit.

The gears as, at and as and 45, 4c, M are "posi tioned on the rear side of the axle housing and are housed respectively in casings 48 and 59. p

' M and Al is taken "Since the drive to the pinions 'from the common gear wheel 36 irrespective of V gearing is such that the slide andpedestal A can easily be raisedby operating only one of the crank handles.

in l2 the pedes tal A may additionally carry al'raising and lowering mechanism "in the manner disclosed in Patent No. 1,801,423

of. April 21, 1931." The mechanism consist of a pair of jacks Ell- 58 operated by pinions 5l-5l on a common'shaft 52. r The main purpose in providing thisauxiliary mechanism is to afford an I additional firing position as will be described hereinaften-l i 1.

-Referring to .Figs. 10 and 11 there is shown'a simple and convenient mechanism for incapacitating the spring suspension when it is desired to firethe gun from-aposition wherein thewheels carriage.

,6 "are in directengagement with the ground and constitute a support ioi th'e front part ofthe gun A pair of bolts 53- .53'secured to the under side of the axle 5 ,each'projects through an Qaperture 5 in the-bottom plate 55, of the axle housing. On each bolt is a nut consisting of an enlarged head fituconstitutingf'a hand wheel, a

cl'ollar'j 51 adapte'dto bear against the under side pf the bottom .plate, and alsleeve 5B of reduced fexternal diameteradapted to pass through the aperture 54 and bear against the under. side ofthe .axle5.

.j I, When the nut; is screwed onthe bolt: until the collar and sleeve. bear respectively against the axle housing anditheaxle (Fig. 10) the housing 7 o andaxle will b'e'securely locked against relative movement. Consequently when the gun is' fired the shock of discharge will pass from the axle housing to. the axle and thence. through the wheels into the ground. Upon unscrewing the nuts the load of. the axle housing will be sup ported by the spring I. p

In the travelling position (Fig. lithe mount A is supportedrby the slide it andjis securely held thereto by the latches 26 which are locked bythe cam levers 29. The slide i l is looked to the axle .ihousing by means of the bolts 15.

, When it is desired to lower the pedestalAto the ground (Fig. 2) the bolts iii are retracted to free fthe slide i l. The slide andthe pedestal to which Kit is attached may be allowed to drop ireelyfor the lowering may be controlled by acting onthe crank handles 32 and 33. By releasing the latches 26 the wheeled axle unit B can be moved away from the pedestal. This procedure is reversed when the pedestal is to be raised from the ground and placed in the travelling position.

By virtue of the structure providedin the improved gunoarriage, four firing positions may be obtained.

First firing position.The trails C are opened about 100 degrees and their spades driven into the ground. The spring suspension l is inoperated by'acting on the nuts 56-51-58. The gun may now .be fired up to 80 degrees in elevation and through 100 degrees in traverse.

Second firing position.-The pedestal A is lowered to the ground as in Fig. 2, the trails 0 being opened and resting on the ground. The movement in elevation and traverse is the same as in the first firing position but increased stability is obtainedbecause of the reduced height of the trunnion above the ground. The stability may be increased by raising the axle, unit so that its wheels are c ff/of the ground and the weight of the axle unit is added to the carriage.

a Third firing position. After lowering the pedestal to the ground, ,the wheeled axle unit is removed and twooutriggers 59-59 are attached to the pedestal opposite the trail members C. The gun can be fired through 360 degrees traverse. 7 Fourth firing position-With the mount in the travelling positionthe jacks 5d are actuated to lower their fioat to the ground. Further actuation of the jacks raises the pedestal Aand the wheeled axle unit B until-the latter is clear of the ground, With the trails'C opened and, emplaced the gun may be fired up to 80 degrees in elevation and through 100 degrees. of traverse; The pedestal may also be lowered to the ground after uncoupling itfrom the wheeled axle unit.

-Iclaimz.

1. In a gun carriage, a mobile unit including an axle, a leaf spring overlying the axle and secured thereto, anaxle housing suspended by the spring, a plate slidably mounted onthe rear side of' the housing, means for locking the plate to the housing, racks on the sides of the plates; pinions mounted in the housing in rear of the axleand meshingwith the racks,,agear wheel mounted in the housing in front of the axle, a train of gearing leading from eachof said pinions to the gear wheel, one of-said trains additionally including a reversing gear wheel, driving pinions meshing withopposite sides of said gear wheel, a crank handle for each of the driving pinions, and a gun mountremovably attached to the plate for support thereby.

2; In a gun carriage; a mobile unit including an axle, a spring-suspended axle housing, a plate slidably mounted on' the rear side of "the housing, imeansfor locking the plate to the housing, racks on the sides of the plates, pinions mounted in the housingi'in rear of the axle andmeshin'g withthe racks, a gear wheel mountedin the housing in front of the axle,'a*train of gearing leading from each of said pinions'to'thegear wheel, one of said trains additionally "including a reversing; gear wheel, driving pinions meshing with opposite sides 'ofsai'd gearwheel, a crank handle for each of the driving pinions, and a gun mount'rem ovably atmeans forlocking the plate to the housing; racks on the sides of the plate, pinions mounted in the housing and meshing with the racks, a gear wheel mounted in the housing, a train of gearing leading from each of said pinions to the gear wheel, one of said trains additionally including a reversing gear wheel, driving pinions meshing with opposite sides of said gear wheel, a crank handle for each of the driving pinions, and a gun mount removably attached to the plate for support thereby.

4. In a gun carriage, a mobile unit including an axle, a spring-suspended axle housing, a. slide carried by the housing at one side of the axle, means for locking the slide to the housing, racks on the sides of the slide, pinions mounted in the housing on parallel axes and meshing with the racks, actuating mechanism for driving said pinions including a common member, a dual control for said common member, a gun pedestal adapted to be carried by the mobile unit and to be emplaced on the ground, and a quick-detachable connecting means betweemthe slide and pedestal.

5. In a gun carriage, a mobile unit including an axle, a spring-suspended axle housing, a slide carried by the housing at one side of the axle, means for locking the slide to the housing, racks on the sides of the slide, pinions mounted in the housing on parallel axes and meshing with the racks, means for actuating the pinions in unison, a gun pedestal adapted to be carried by the mobile unit and to be emplaced on the ground, and a quick-detachable connecting means between the slide and pedestal.

6. In a gun carriage, a mobile unit including an axle, a spring-suspended axle housing, a slide carried by the housing at one side of the axle, means for locking the slide to the housing, means carried by the housing for raising and lowering the slide, a gun pedestal adapted to be carried by the mobile unit and to be emplaced on the ground, and a quick-detachable connecting means between the slide and pedestal.

7. In a gun carriage, a mobile unit including an axle, an axle housing having a bottom plate provided with apertures, a spring suspension between the axle and axle housing, bolts secured to the under side of the axle and projecting through the apertures in the axle housing, a nut on each bolt having a sleeve adapted to pass through an aperture in the axle housing and bear against 20 the axle and also having a collar adapted to bear against the axle housing.

8. In a gun carriage, a mobile unit including an axle, an axle housing resiliently suspended by the axle, bolts secured to the axle, a nut on each bolt 25 having an inner end adapted to bear against the axle and having an outer portion adapted to bear against the axle housing.

GLADEON M. BARNES. 

